Dimensions
155 x 234 x 21mm
'We would be assembled for newspaper photographs to show what a happy famous family we were. But we had ceased to be a family a long time ago.'
Renee Goossens, the youngest daughter of the famous conductor Sir Eugene Goossens, came to Australia with him and her stepmother when Sir Eugene was appointed Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Her Sydney childhood was happy until her stepmother decided to leave Australia permanently, taking Renee with her.
Renee found herself dumped in a convent near Paris, abandoned by her family. She struggled to come to terms with her new life until she received an unexpected visit from her stepmother, bringing the news that her father had been embroiled in a Sydney scandal involving pornographic photographs and rumours of witchcraft.
This is the story of Renee Goossens' coming to terms with her father, and her struggle to find a life and identity for herself independent of her status as a member of a famous musical family. It is a story of courage, determination and hope, told with warmth and candour.
